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Sip Away the Bloat: 5 Teas To Soothe Your Digestive Discomfort
Bloating and gas have likely made an appearance in your life. They can be inconvenient and uncomfortable, disrupting your daily routine. But what’s actually happening inside your body?
Your digestive system, a remarkable player in your overall wellbeing, takes centre stage here. It diligently takes the food you consume and transforms it into the essential building blocks your body needs for energy and nourishment.
Most of the time, it carries out this feat effortlessly, quietly orchestrating this vital process. Yet, every now and then, the digestive orchestra may hit a sour note, causing disturbances that may disrupt your daily rhythm. Be it a fussy stomach, bouts of nausea, or the all-too-familiar feeling of bloat.
The good news? We’re here to share some natural remedies to help ease gastrointestinal discomfort. Let’s dive into the top teas and other natural products to consider to help provide digestive relief and support.
You could be just a few sips away from the path back to your comfort and confidence.
Best Teas To Soothe Your Digestion
Tea has been around for centuries and has long been used in ancient medical practices to help relieve a range of ailments. While modern medicine has provided us with life-changing medications, the centuries-old practices and relief provided by natural remedies can still provide people with an effective, natural alternative to help with an occasional upset stomach or bout of bloating.
Here are some teas that many people love to help soothe their digestive woes.
Peppermint
If you are dealing with bloating, upset stomach, or an Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) flare-up, brewing some peppermint tea may help soothe you. Peppermint tea can be found nearly everywhere and can be a refreshing beverage while helping to soothe the digestive tract.
The active molecule in peppermint that helps to soothe the digestive tract is known as menthol. Menthol is commonly used in topical pain relievers, and within the digestive tract, it can help to soothe the digestive lining and can help to calm gas and bloating.
Chamomile
Chamomile is most commonly thought of for its calming and sleep-aid qualities, but it may also help settle an upset digestive system. Chamomile comes from a flower resembling a daisy and tends to be included in many tea blends. For those sensitive to caffeine, chamomile is a fantastic choice as it provides a welcoming, warm beverage without caffeine.
Fennel
Fennel is a vegetable closely related to the carrot, and its seeds have a number of proposed health benefits. In traditional medicine, fennel has been thought to help support digestion and the endocrine, reproductive and respiratory systems. In modern medicine, fennel has been found to contain several molecules that may have a beneficial impact on the body.
One benefit highly touted for fennel and fennel tea is its soothing qualities for the digestive tract. If you experience symptoms of gas, cramping or GI discomfort, fennel may help to provide some relief.
Making fennel tea is quite easy. If you are looking for a quick and easy method, you can buy some premade bags of fennel, but if you prefer a homemade recipe, you can crush dry fennel seeds and steep them in hot water.
Ginger
Ginger has been touted as a superfood for its numerous health benefits. Ginger is used as a spice in many dishes worldwide and has a distinctive yellow colour.
Ginger comes from the underground stem of the Zingiber officinale plant and can be enjoyed by itself or as a part of other dishes. While used heavily in the culinary world, ginger is also utilised in complementary medicine as a natural way to help relieve nausea and upset stomach.
To have as a tea, ginger root is simply grated and steeped in hot water. Aside from its beneficial impacts on digestion, it can also act as a tasty and refreshing beverage that can go well with a splash of lemon juice.
Caffeinated Tea
Caffeine can be a double-edged sword when it comes to digestion. For individuals with caffeine sensitivity, having caffeine can bring on abdominal cramping, discomfort and potentially diarrhoea.
For others, caffeine can stimulate the movement of the digestive system and help alleviate gastrointestinal upset caused by constipation. Because caffeine also acts as a diuretic, having caffeinated tea may help make stool easier to pass, helping to soothe symptoms of constipation.
There are a number of different kinds of tea that contain caffeine. Black tea, green tea, chai tea, and matcha all contain caffeine. Starting your morning with one of these teas can help you start your morning off right and give you a punch of energy when you need it, in addition to potentially helping your digestive discomfort.
Supplements for Digestion
The teas described above are a fantastic way to achieve some level of relief with naturally occurring plants, herbs and spices. Still, there are also several other ways you can get these digestive soothing molecules without pulling out your kettle.
Below is a closer look at some supplements specifically tailored to help support digestion, address digestive discomfort and give your gut the care it deserves.
Skin+Digestion
The skin and lining of your digestive tract aren’t as different as you may think. Both the lining of your GI tract and your skin are considered external surfaces of the body, meaning that they are the tissues that have contact with the outside world.
The lining of your digestive tract and your skin are also made of the same cells known as the epithelium. Considering these similarities, it would make sense that supplements tailored for one of these could also help the other.
IBS
While the taste of peppermint may not be everyone's cup of tea, there are plenty of other natural remedies and alternatives that can provide relief for IBS symptoms. From soothing herbal teas to mindful dietary adjustments, you have a variety of options to explore. It's all about finding what works best for you and your unique needs and preferences.
Probiotic
An important aspect of your digestive health to care for is the complex relationship between the microbes that inhabit your gut and how they can impact on your digestion.
The bacteria that inhabit your digestive tract play an important role in helping your body break down different molecules in your food to increase its nutrition absorption. While these bacteria undoubtedly play an important role in your digestive health, the kinds of bacteria that inhabit your gut matter.
If populations of these microbes become unbalanced and harmful bacteria increase in numbers, it can cause a number of gastrointestinal issues such as IBS, constipation, diarrhoea and abdominal discomfort.
Probiotics are supplements that contain active good bacteria to help restore the populations of good bacteria within the gut. Taking a routine probiotic containing gut-loving strains such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium may help strengthen and support the microbiome in your gut for a healthy digestive system.
Conclusion
The digestive system plays a vital role in your overall wellbeing and quality of life. The complex actions of the digestive tract work efficiently and effortlessly, but occasionally, digestive issues present themselves and become the centre of your awareness.
Countless natural remedies are available to help soothe digestive issues, and some can be made into tea. Any of the five teas above may help to relieve discomfort in your digestive tract.
In addition to steeping some tea, you can also reach for all-natural remedies in the form of dietary supplements. Supplements can provide you with added convenience and can be a great addition to your daily regimen.
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